First Falco Ever Made?

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robertorolfo · #1 Post by **robertorolfo** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 11:51 am

Hey everyone. I know that some of you are interested in the somewhat mysterious history of the Falco and its production run. I had seen this ad in the past, and it has resurfaced again recently, so I thought it could possibly add a nice little chapter to the story. If it is true. I'll let you guys decide, as I'm not so sure myself.

Anyhow, as I said, I have seen this ad a few times on some Italian motorcycle used bike sites:

http://www.motoagostino.it/it/sportive/ ... L1000.html

The text reads (Literally):

""Bike in good overall condition, this is the first produced/manufactured, frame number xs1000001 and given this particular status, the price will be disclosed at the dealership upon viewing. Perfect as an investment, as again this is the first one manufactured. Sports Bike. One owner.""

Sooo, is this the first Falco ever to come off the assembly line? I have no idea. Looks pretty regular to me, and the fact that the guy is trying to use the claim to jack up the price on a bike with 37k kilometers is a bit funny. And since it has been for sale for a long time now, I'm assuming the price is a bit silly.

The only thing I really notice about the bike is that the sticker over the airbox snorkel is a bit different. It just says, "SL 1000", whereas the later ones seem to all say, "SL FALCO 1000".

Also, with regard to the frame number, does anyone know if this claim of "xs1000001" being the first makes any sense? My bike, (which looks exactly like this one, except for the sticker), has a number of 0000365... so would that mean it was the 365th produced?

paddyz1 · #2 Post by **paddyz1** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:30 pm

Mine just has SL1000 on the nose fairing but it is not as 'in your face' as the ugly red one's

D-Rider · #3 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:52 pm

Maybe it is the first one ..... but so what? unless you are Aprilia and want to put it in a museum then who cares?

If it were the first produced of some highly sought after bike, then maybe but I think most of us would not go out of our way to choose the first off the line .... sooner have one where they've sorted out any early design or production problems.

What's more, I'd expect frame No1 to be on a pre-production bike .... but maybe it is.

Rear seat cowl in grey looks odd - as does the red grab handle

wayno · #4 Post by **wayno** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 12:59 pm

The only thing I noticed is that it says year 2000, weren't they produced in 1998? Of course it could be late registered, but that's my 2 pennies worth.

It's qute a brave claim to make, just based on the frame number, I hope he's confirmed it with Aprilia if he honestly thinks that.

Chabby · #5 Post by **Chabby** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 1:14 pm

Hmmm................Mines a 2001 and going off the frame number is around the 101,000 mark - doesn't seem likely.

wayno · #6 Post by **wayno** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:32 pm

I wonder who has the last ever Falco, that'd be a good one to own, maybe we should find out :)

#7 Post by **mangocrazy** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 2:41 pm

Depends how you classify 'last ever'... By date registered or by frame number. I think I could stake a claim to last-registered in UK (August 2008), but frame number would be a more accurate indicator of the last one to roll off the production line.

D-Rider · #8 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:21 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Depends how you classify 'last ever'... By date registered or by frame number. I think I could stake a claim to last-registered in UK (August 2008), but frame number would be a more accurate indicator of the last one to roll off the production line.

..... or the last one ever to survive .....

(which, hopefully, will not happen for many, many years)

Samray · #9 Post by **Samray** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:41 pm

D-Rider wrote:
mangocrazy wrote:Depends how you classify 'last ever'... By date registered or by frame number. I think I could stake a claim to last-registered in UK (August 2008), but frame number would be a more accurate indicator of the last one to roll off the production line.
..... or the last one ever to survive .....

(which, hopefully, will not happen for many, many years)

Probably already too late for the last ever bog-standard one.

wayno · #10 Post by **wayno** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:45 pm

mangocrazy wrote:Depends how you classify 'last ever'... By date registered or by frame number. I think I could stake a claim to last-registered in UK (August 2008), but frame number would be a more accurate indicator of the last one to roll off the production line.

I mean the last production one (which went on sale) to roll off the line.

d-rider wrote:..... or the last one ever to survive .....

(which, hopefully, will not happen for many, many years)

I wonder if, in many many years time, they'll reach the desirability level that the old RD's hold now

robertorolfo · #11 Post by **robertorolfo** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:55 pm

Geeze... some interesting responses. Look, I wasn't posting to say 'look how cool/lucky this guy is' or anything like that. There is obviously nothing special about the bike. And the fact that it has done 37 thousand KM's confirms that the owner didn't really think so either.

Just thought it was funny/interesting, and I was just wondering if this frame # story was legitimate as far as you guys know?

There is that thread about the history of the Falco, so I thought it would be cool to put up a picture of the very first one to come off the assembly line. Nothing more.

D-Rider · #12 Post by **D-Rider** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 3:56 pm

wayno wrote:
I wonder if, in many many years time, they'll reach the desirability level that the old RD's hold now

I think they will (already do?) with those of us "in the know" but I don't think they will ever hold the same widespread appeal.

Those of us that were about in those days either owned or had a mate that owned an RD and there is that level of involvement - same with FS1e too.
The Falco has never had that breadth of acclaim and although it's a brilliant bike, I think it's just one for the connoisseurs.

#13 Post by **mangocrazy** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 4:37 pm

Yes, LCs were one of the great 'cult' bikes (and I'm not referring to the kind of rider they attracted, either...

), but Yamaha must have sold hundreds of thousands of them. I don't know how many Falcos were ever produced but it must be a tiny fraction of LC numbers.

So my point is (at last) that it isn't necessarily having a restricted production run that turns a bike into a cult, but whether it gripped the mass imagination. Which is why (as Andy says) that LCs are cult bikes and Falcos are the conveyance of the discerning gentleman...

wayno · #14 Post by **wayno** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 5:26 pm

I know what you mean, I never had an RD but know those who did.

Falco's may be less popular with the masses, but they're damn well more loved by their owners.

A load of my mates were standing round ogling my one last night (the bike that is, perverts

) and came to the general concensus that it looks better than the mille of the same age (a bit more soul is how one put it), although not one of us had ever heard of them before I stumbled across a picture of one last year and decided I had to have one.

Aladinsaneuk · #15 Post by **Aladinsaneuk** » Tue Apr 27, 2010 8:28 pm

i was looking at my number earlier as well - and my number is 370 odd....

i think we can safely say the last one made would be a bronze one....